DOT Motorcycle Helmets - What Are They?

The Department of Transportation in the world of motorcycling is referred to as the DOT. This organization has made it a rule that all motorcycle helmets must be checked and tasted on grounds of safety before use. The DOT performs a check on all helmets and labels only those which meet its security requirements. If you have a motorcycle and are thinking about buying a helmet, look for the DOT tag on it. If that is missing, think again. You don't want to get into trouble with the law on grounds of using an illegal helmet. Helmets that have not passed the DOT test are simply not safe enough. They won't go very far in protecting you from injury, in case of an emergency or an accident.

How to Identify a DOT Helmet?

We have for a near-exhaustive list of points, you need to check in order to understand which a DOT approved helmet is and which is not. After you have gone through this, you can find DOT helmets very easily:

oFirst, check for the DOT sticker. You should find it at the back of the helmet, towards the bottom, at about the middle of the helmet.

o In addition to the sticker, there should be a DOT label sewn to the inside of the helmet.

o The label's location is important. It should be in a place from where it cannot be torn off easily.

o The DOT sticker should carry some basic information. This includes the name or logo of the helmet manufacturer, manufacturing date, and size of the helmet, model number or name and a list of components that have gone into the making of the motorcycle helmet.

o If you don't find these details on the sticker, or if one or more of these features are missing, your best bet would be not to buy the helmet.

DOT Benefits

With the DOT ranking, a consumer can test the safety standards of the helmet they are purchasing. You don't have to take the dealer's word for the safety of the helmet. You can judge it for yourself. We have just listed all the criteria for you.

DOT Helmet Testing Procedure:

Let's talk a bit about the process of ranking helmets and how DOT goes about it.

o An impact test is an obvious part of the procedure. A headpiece is inserted inside the helmet.

o Next, the helmet is dropped from a height of about ten feet. A human head can survive if it receives a G-force of 400 units on impact. It cannot take any more than that. A G-force is the gravitational force exerted on objects in free fall. Helmets that can protect the headpiece in this condition are labeled.

o Manufacturers don't need to test their products all over again after it has received a DOT sticker.

o A manufacturer is free to sell any of his helmets that are DOT rated.

A DOT rating ensures that the helmet you are buying is of great quality and durability. The DOT rating will make sure that what you are buying will protect you to a great extent.